2 downtown restaurants close in Springfield

Photo by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanL'Uva restaurant, next to the Sitar restaurant on Main Street, Springfield, is seen during today's snowstorm.

By ELIZABETH ROMAN
eroman@repub.com

SPRINGFIELD - Two downtown Main Street restaurants have closed their doors.

L'uVa restaurant, which opened in 2003, and Rein's New York Style Deli Express, which opened three months ago, closed suddenly.

The two closings come about a month after Frigo's Gourmet Foods delicatessen closed after more than 20 years on Main Street and relocated to Shaker Road in East Longmeadow. Frigo's delicatessen and Italian grocery store on Williams Street, which has been in business for 60 years, remains open.

Joseph A. Frigo, president of Frigo Food Products Inc., said that with two stores in close proximity in Springfield it was decided to move the deli to the suburbs.

"We are still a very big part of Springfield," Frigo said. "We're still a landmark."

"I really don't know what happened," Hurwitz said. "I have been in the business a long time and I can usually pinpoint what went wrong, but there is no real explanation here."

The deli took the place of Gus & Paul's, which closed in August after a 10-year run.

Hurwitz said they followed the same successful formula used at the West Springfield Rein's Deli, which opened in 2006 on the rotary leading to the Arthur B. McKenna (North End) Bridge.

"We focused on having a varied menu and excellent customer service. The people who frequented the deli always said they loved the menu and the quality of the service, but there were just not enough customers," he said. "We would have had to double our business just to break even."

Hurwitz believes a big problem downtown is the lack of support for new businesses from the downtown work force.

"I often hear people saying they want more businesses downtown, but those same people don't support the businesses when they open," he said.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said he was surprised to hear the news about Rein's.

"I am very sorry to hear they have closed. They were a great asset to downtown," he said.

Sarno said he is trying to change the perception residents have of downtown.

"We are dealing with public safety and working to get bodies downtown. "Chicago" was recently downtown, Falcons games are happening, The Rumors played at Symphony Hall and all of those events happened safely," he said.

L'uVa, which was open for close to five years, also closed unexpectedly according to officials at City Hall. The restaurant, located next to Sitar on Main Street, opened in 2003. Owner Michael J. Ratte could not be immediately reached for comment.

Sarno said he wants to encourage businesses in downtown and get people to come out to the restaurants and shops. Hurwitz said he hopes Sarno's plan works.

"Springfield is a great city and in order for it to develop and grow people have to come downtown," he said.

Hurwitz also said he is not discouraged.

"I am still a strong supporter of downtown, I just wish we had been successful here," he said.